'Reopening' of Pennsylvania Planned to Begin in Early May

Note: This information is accurate as of 10:15 a.m., April 29, 2020.

On April 17, Gov. Tom Wolf outlined the standards the administration will use for reopening and on April 20. The governor announced a target date of May 8 for the beginning of phased reopening and easing of restrictions.

Currently, all of Pennsylvania is “red,” meaning all 12.8 million residents are under stay-at-home orders and all non-life-sustaining businesses are closed.

Regions and counties can move from red to yellow, and then yellow to green. Counties may also revert back to “red” status if needed, Wolf said on a recent conference call.

The decision to move to a new phase will be based on state Department of Health Metrics and a data tool developed by Carnegie Mellon University.

Pennsylvania has taken measures to save lives and reduce morbidity of the COVID-19 virus. Those mitigation efforts are still in place as of April 30. State officials say that the mitigation efforts have helped to curtail the spread of COVID-19 so hospitals can treat patients without overwhelming the limited supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical devices such as ventilators.

The commonwealth will continue its response to the spread of COVID-19 by working to contain the virus through contact tracing and quarantines for residents who came in contact with someone who tested positive for the virus to slow sustained community spread.

As the situation stabilizes, the state is planning a “measured and strategic” approach to allowing Pennsylvanians to return to work safely. The goal is to prevent a resurgence of the virus.

Officials said that the “reopening” must be done “in the most effective, efficient, and risk-adverse method possible to balance our return to economic stability, while at the same time continuing to keep Pennsylvanians safe by controlling the spread of disease,” according to Gov. Tom Wolf’s website at https://www.governor.pa.gov/

The commonwealth is partnering with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to create a data-driven decision support tool that will “enable a balance between maximizing the results of our economy while minimizing public health risks.” Officials said that this tool will help officials “better understand the current health and economic status, as well as the inherent risks and benefits to easing restrictions by sector and region.”

In consultation with Team PA, PA DOH, PEMA, the Department of Community and Economic Development, the Department of Labor & Industry, and others, the administration is developing guidance for businesses, local governments, workers, and customers with the goal of guiding a safe and iterative reopening process.

The governor said that “Pennsylvania plans to proceed with returning to work cautiously.”

Broad reopenings or reopenings that are not structured around ongoing social distancing, universal masking, or other public health guidance would likely result in a spike of cases and new stay-at-home and closure orders.

The plan at this point

The administration will use a three-phase matrix to determine when counties and regions are ready to begin easing some restrictions on work, congregate settings, and social interactions.

The red phase, which currently applies to the whole state, has the purpose of minimizing the spread of COVID-19 through strict social distancing, non-life sustaining business, school closures, and building safety protocols.

Targets & Goals

A target goal for reopening has been set at having fewer than 50 new confirmed cases per 100,000 population reported to the department in the previous 14 days.

So, for example, an area with a population of 800,000 people would need to have fewer than 400 new confirmed cases reported in the past 14 days to meet the target.

The administration will work with county and local governments to enable the communities to reopen and transition back to work.

The target data goal is not the only metric to be met before reopening a region. Additionally, the commonwealth must ensure there is:

• Enough testing available for individuals with symptoms and target populations such as those at high risk, health care personnel, and first responders.

• Robust case investigation and contact tracing infrastructure is in place to facilitate early identification of cluster outbreaks and to issue proper isolation and quarantine orders.

• Identification of area’s high-risk settings including correctional institutions, personal care homes, skilled nursing facilities, and other congregate care settings, and assurance that facilities have adequate safeguards in place such as staff training, employee screening, visitor procedures and screening, and adequate supplies of PPE to support continued operations.

The commonwealth will use a modeling dashboard under development and evaluation by Carnegie Mellon University to take a regional and sector-based approach to reopenings, the easing of restrictions, and response.

The administration will use this data-driven decision support tool to better understand the current health and economic status, as well as the inherent risks and benefits to reopening certain businesses and industry areas.

THE PHASES EXPLAINED

RED PHASE

Work and Congregate Setting Restrictions

• Life Sustaining Businesses Only

• Congregate Care and Prison Restrictions in Place

• Schools (for in-person instruction) and Most Child Care Facilities Closed

Social Restrictions

• Stay at home orders in place

• Large gatherings prohibited

• Restaurants and bars limited to carry-out and delivery only

• Only travel for life-sustaining purposes encouraged

• Reiterate and reinforce safety guidance for businesses, workers, individuals, facilities, update if necessary

• Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary

Notes: As regions or counties move into the yellow phase, some restrictions on work and social interaction will ease while others, such as closures of schools, gyms, and other indoor recreation centers, as well as limitations around large gatherings, remain in place. For example, retail locations will be able to open with forthcoming guidance in place that is substantially similar to the worker safety and building safety order. Otherwise retail will be able to allow for curbside pickup. The purpose of this phase is to begin to power back up the economy while keeping a close eye on the public health data to ensure the spread of disease remains contained to the greatest extent possible.

YELLOW PHASE

Work & Congregate Setting Restrictions

• Telework must continue where feasible

• Businesses with in-person operations must follow business and building safety orders

• Child care open with worker and building safety orders

• Congregate care and prison restrictions in place

• Schools remain closed for in-person instruction

Social Restrictions

• Stay at home restrictions lifted in favor of aggressive mitigation

• Large gatherings of more than 25 prohibited

• In-person retail allowable, curbside and delivery preferable

• Indoor recreation, health and wellness facilities (such as gyms, spas), and all entertainment (such as casinos, theaters) remain closed

Restaurants and bars limited to carry-out and delivery only

• All businesses must follow CDC and DOH guidance for social distancing and cleaning

• Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary

Notes: The green phase eases most restrictions by lifting the stay at home and business closure orders to allow the economy to strategically reopen while continuing to prioritize public health. While this phase will facilitate a return to a “new normal,” it will be equally important to continue to monitor public health indicators and adjust orders and restrictions as necessary to ensure the spread of disease remains at a minimum.

GREEN PHASE

Work and Congregate Setting Restrictions

• All businesses must follow CDC and PA Department of Health guidelines

Social Restrictions

• Aggressive mitigation orders lifted

• All individuals must follow CDC and PA Department of Health guidelines

• Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary